Device for a computer to enable it to play multimedia data in a default mode such that the main CPU is not operating

摘要

Disclosed is a multimedia computer system with a storage medium access device, eg an optical disc reader ie DVD or CD-ROM, such that the device can access the stored data in either a normal or a default playback mode. In the default payback mode the medium device decodes the multimedia data and transmits the decoded image and audio data stream to the display unit(s). The medium device comprises a front end that accesses the data from the storage medium and a back end that decodes the image and audio data, if the data is compliant with a preset format eg MPEG or MPEG4. The device is coupled to the display unit by a chipset that transmits the decoded data. When the computer is operating in the default playback mode the CPU, the memory and other circuits, such as the south bridge may be stopped or powered down to lower the power consumption during the playback of the multimedia data. The computer system may have a control interface for receiving user control instructions and the interface may be coupled to a micro controller to provide the control signals to the medium device when the computer is operating in a the default playback mode.